for the Holy Spirit, which he died to procure, and which he promised that God would give to all who should ask for it in his name. Pray, pray for the Holy Spirit, that it may come down into your soul, and abide with you; that it may guide you into the knowledge of the truths of the Bible; that it may lead you to love these truths and obey them; that it may keep you penitent for sin, and looking to Christ continually, to be saved from the power of sin; that it may make you faithful in serving God and doing good to your fellow-men while you live, and prepared, when you die, still to love and serve God, and to enjoy his favor and that of his Son, in a better and happier world.

CHAPTER XVIII.

One of Joseph's brethren finds his money in the sack.-All are in great alarm.-A guilty conscience.-Jacob's distress at what his sons tell him.-Reuben's foolish and wicked speech.-Jacob cannot let Benjamin go.-Judah tries to persuade him to this.

AFTER they had advanced some distance on their journey, the brothers of Joseph, as we read in the Bible, stopped at an inn to refresh themselves, and to give food to their asses.

Inns, at that time, were very different from what they now are in our country. They were scarcely any thing more than a convenient stopping-place for travellers, where there was a well at which they could procure water, and a few trees, under the shade of which they could repose, and perhaps, in some cases, a rough house or shed, in which they could sleep during the night.

As one of their number was opening his sack to get some provender for his ass, he saw in it the money which he supposed he had paid to Joseph for the grain. He was greatly surprised, and immediately told his brethren of it. They were all much alarmed, and filled with apprehension lest

even the governor of Egypt himself, or some evil disposed person, had done it, that they might be accused, on their return, of having stolen it. They regarded it as another proof that God intended to bring trouble upon them for their past guilt; and that it was his over-ruling Providence which was thus so ordering events as to manifest his great displeasure toward them. "Their heart failed them, and they were afraid, saying one to another, what is this that God hath done unto us?"

A guilty conscience finds no comfort in considering the providence of God. The All-seeing eye, and the All-ruling hand, are to the sinner a source of constant disquietude and alarm.

We are not told of any thing else which happened to the sons of Jacob on their way home.

On their arrival there, they told their father al! that befell them in Egypt; and as they were emptying their sacks, "behold, every man's bundle of money was in his sack; and when both they and their father saw the bundles of money, they were afraid.

And Jacob, their father, said unto them, me have ye bereaved of my children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away: all these things are against me."

To Jacob's eye it seemed, indeed, as if a dark

cloud hung over all the prospects of his declining years. He had already suffered much, but he thought he had still more to suffer. He forgot the providence of God, which can bring good out of evil; and lamented, in the bitterness of his soul, that all the things which had happened to his sons were against him. He did not know that these very things were about to restore Joseph to his embraces, and to provide for the comfort of himself and family.

Reuben, seeing his father's great distress, and anxious to remove his apprehensions with regard to Benjamin's going to Egypt, said to him, "Slay my two sons, if I bring not Benjamin to thee: deliver him into my hand, and I will bring him to thee again."

This was both a foolish and wicked speech. What right had Reuben to give any permission to kill his sons; and what satisfaction would it be to Jacob, if he should lose Benjamin, to take the lives of two innocent grandchildren in order to punish their father?

This vehement declaration of Reuben had no effect upon Jacob. He could not endure the thought, for a moment, of parting with Benjamin.

'And he said, my son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he is left alone: if

mischief befall him by the way in the which ye go, then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave."

The famine still continued very grievous in the land of Canaan; and at length Jacob and his sons, and their families, had eaten up the grain which they had procured in Egypt. There was no other resource but to go there again, and Jacob directed his sons to do this.

They knew, however, that there was only one way in which they could hope that the governor of Egypt would furnish them with a supply, and that was, to take Benjamin along with them. Judah reminded his father of this. The man," said he, "did solemnly protest unto us, saying, ye shall not see my face except your brother be with you. If thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go down and buy thee food: but if thou wilt not send him, we will not go down: for the man said unto us, ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you."

To what a severe trial the venerable patriarch was now called! Himself, his children, and their families, were in danger of famishing with hunger. If food is not procured, their lives must be sacrificed. But Benjamin was as dear to him as his own life. How can he part with this beloved son!